NSBRI, Center for Space Medicine move to new facility

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute's headquarters and Baylor College of Medicine's Center for Space Medicine are relocating this week.

The two organizations will open for business June 6 in the BioScience Research Collaborative at Rice University, just across the street from the Texas Medical Center.

The 16,000-square-foot consolidated research facility is located on the ninth floor of the BioScience Research Collaborative and features multiple reconfigurable laboratories, meeting rooms and office space for NSBRI Headquarters and BCM personnel, as well as space for visiting NSBRI researchers from leading institutions from across the country. In addition to the ninth-floor facility, NSBRI and CSM have access to BRC classrooms and a 280-seat auditorium.

"This state-of-the-art facility will ensure NSBRI's position as a world leader in space biomedical research and enhance the Center for Space Medicine's ability to train future physicians and scientists," said Dr. Jeffrey P. Sutton, NSBRI director and CSM director. "The new facility is a milestone of collaboration between BCM, Rice, NSBRI and NASA and will be an asset to the United States' human space program for many years to come. The emphasis on biomedical innovations to enhance health care, not only in space but also on Earth, is particularly exciting and important."

NSBRI is a NASA-funded consortium of institutions studying the health risks related to long-duration spaceflight and developing the medical technologies needed for long missions. NSBRI's integrated and coordinated activities engage academic, government and industry sectors, and emphasize achievement through excellence. Its science, technology and education projects take place at more than 60 institutions across the United States. BCM is the lead institution of the consortium, of which Rice is a member.

CSM is a one-of-a-kind academic center of excellence where students, residents and staff work together to discover, educate and push new frontiers of space biomedical research and education. CSM also has a focus on translating space advances to benefit health on Earth.

The move date is June 3, with June 2 as the last day of operations in the Neurosensory Center.